Evaluation of the antioxidant and antibacterial activity in vitro of the trunk bark of Canarium schweinfurthii Engl (Burseraceae)

The high incidence of infectious diseases and the emergence of resistance to modern drugs are current public health concerns. This situation leads to the search for alternatives via medicinal plants. To investigate the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of hydroalcoholic extract of Canarium schweinfurthii trunk bark commonly used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various pathologies. The primary phytochemical study was performed on hydro alcoholic extract of the trunk bark dried in the shade. The antioxidant activity of the extract was evaluated using ferric reducing power and the free radical scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the antibacterial test and MIC was determined by using dilution methods against twenty-two strains of bacteria. The phytochemical screening has shown the presence of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids and steroids. The antioxidant activity demonstrated that the extract at the concentration of 500μg/mL scavenges DPPH and the ferric ion by 65.07%, and 90.36% of the radicals respectively. The antibacterial activity demonstated that the extract ihnibited the strains used independently of the gram with MICs varying between 1.95 and 31.25mg/mL. The extract also showed an absolute bactericidal potential on multiresistant strains. The antibacterial potential could be due to the presence of phenolic compounds. The activities of hydro-ethanolic extracts of C. schweinfurthii suggest that the latter would be a potential raw material for the production of improved traditional medicines